


Here's How It Starts

by sophh



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Picnics, some language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29564484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophh/pseuds/sophh
Summary: Marlene and Regulus go on a picnic date.
Relationships: Regulus Black/Marlene McKinnon
Kudos: 4





	Here's How It Starts

Regulus shakes out the red-and-white checkered picnic blanket and settles it carefully onto the grass. He smiles over at Marlene then gestures to it. "Ladies first." 

"Nice to know chivalry isn't dead, I suppose," she says with a roll of her eyes. She plops onto the blanket anyway, though. 

"I  _ was  _ raised with proper etiquette," Regulus replies, arching a single brow.

"So it’s safe to assume you  _ don't _ want any help setting up?" Marlene asks, a tiny smirk playing at her lips. 

"Precisely. You just sit there and relax," he tells her. His hand gently brushes the top of her head, and a chill runs through her. She wonders if he felt a similar sensation when he touched her. 

She watches as he sets about unpacking the picnic basket. He moves with a sort of aristocratic grace that has to come from years of lessons and subsequent practice. It's that swiftness and precision, along with his slight build, that makes him such a good Seeker. 

She studies his features next. He projects a classic kind of handsomeness, much different from the unconventional, roguish appeal of his brother. His dark, wavy hair is just long enough to fall into his eyes, and his nose and mouth are almost dainty — again, a result of his noble heritage. 

He's good-looking, yes, but Marlene still doesn't know why she agreed to go on a date with him. She supposes she was motivated by curiosity more than anything. Regulus Black is aloof, an enigma — unlike Sirius, he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. 

"Nice weather," she comments, just as Regulus finishes unwrapping two sandwiches. He doesn't respond to that — not that she blames him, because who thinks talking about the fucking  _ weather _ is romantic? — and hands her a sandwich. She immediately takes a bite, savoring the mingling flavors of the meat and cheese. He looks slightly taken aback by her rush to eat, so she swallows and says, "What? I'm starving."

Regulus shakes his head. "Nothing." 

"It wasn't nothing," she insists, carefully putting her sandwich down on a white china plate. Why he packed  _ china plates _ for a picnic, she has no idea. "Look, I haven't eaten since breakfast, so I—"

"You just look so beautiful."

It takes Marlene a moment to process those words, but once she does, she stares at Regulus as though seeing him for the first time. He looks rather shocked himself, although she doesn't understand why. 

"I—I beg your pardon?" she asks, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear because obviously, her  _ hair _ is the reason she didn't hear him properly the first time. There's no way  _ Regulus fucking Black _ would ever call her beautiful without hesitation. 

Regulus repeats those same words, and suddenly, Marlene feels like she's underwater and all the sounds are muffled. Her heart is pounding so loudly in her ears that she can't focus on anything else, not even her hunger. Her sandwich lies forgotten on its plate. 

She doesn't know what to say in response. "Thank you" seems too obvious, and too safe. She should say something flirty and clever and fun, but with Regulus' grey eyes fixed expectantly on her, all that comes out is, "You're beautiful too." 

Regulus starts to laugh, and Marlene can't help but want to make him laugh again. "You amuse me, Marlene." 

This time, she does say, "Thank you," and the grin that he sends her way is enough to make her feel giddy. 

After a moment spent gazing at her like she is the only thing in the world, he nods at her plate. "I thought you were hungry."

Now that she's a little more relaxed, her hunger makes itself known again. She wraps her fingers around her sandwich and smiles at her companion. "I am." 


End file.
